


Avalon: Quest For Pandora's Box

by themistwolfkid



Series: Warrior's Shadow [1]
Category: Avalon: Web of Magic - Rachel Roberts
Genre: Canon Continuation, F/F, F/M, Gen, High School, OC heavy, Post-Canon
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-05-30
Updated: 2015-06-23
Packaged: 2018-04-02 02:12:07
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,091
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4041769
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/themistwolfkid/pseuds/themistwolfkid
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p><i>Earth is shrouded in mist and trapped in shadow</i><br/><i>Water hides the darkest depths</i><br/><i>Fire burns and destroys whole worlds</i><br/><i>And Air scatters the seeds</i><br/><i>In chaos the Web is broken</i><br/><i>In Time is it left to heal</i><br/><i>It is the Guardian's job to watch over the Web</i><br/><i>It is the Weaver's job to cleanse it</i><br/> <br/><i>-The Book of Pandora</i></p><p>The mages thought they saved the web.  They never made it through half of it.<br/>In a world where Ravenswood has become the home of all magic, a hungry, archaic corruption has reawakened in the midst of the change.  It's up to the mages and an ancient form of magic to stop it.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> It should be noted that this story was originally on Fanfiction.net, and I'm putting it on here instead.

It was dark. Very dark. He knew that. It was always dark. One would think that as a creature used to the night, he would have been able to find his way through. One would think that as a minion of the Sorceress, he would have had no problem seeing through the silk curtain of black. That he would have wanted to wrap himself in its sweet, pure, haze.

But no.

The darkness rubbed against his skin like burning ice and the walls of the narrow hall he walked through brushed against his skin like grease-covered rats and dry bones. Perhaps they were. Either way, he was uncomfortable. He was as uncomfortable as any goblin could be. He didn't really know where he was; he just knew that he was  _here_ , in this maze of incomprehensible darkness with fantastically terrible masters and mistresses.

The Council's room was the only lit real room in the entire place, filled with parchment, tapestry, putrid smell, and magical objects. It resembled the dining hall of a king of old, but it's sinister atmosphere made it feel like a medieval torture chamber. As the goblin stumbled over something cold and wet and moving, he realized he had finally found the large, heavy door of the Council. He struggled to open it, one of the mugs of ale he balanced on the tray in his long, bony fingers threatening to fall. As he stepped into the dim candlelight of the room, he was seized by his neck and held fast by a huge, meaty fist. He was faced with gleaming red eyes and a fury that could only be matched by the brightest flame in the underworld.

"You  _imbecilic creature_!" his master seethed, tightening his grip. "Do you know how long we  _waited_ for your  _disgusting_  hide to get here with our drinks!?" The creature in his grip squirmed and clawed at his master's hand and made squeaking noises that sounded vaguely like pleads for forgiveness. The great form shook the poor creature in his grip harder, his raw fury leaking in out in his perspiration and reeking like dead bodies. From the shadows came a lilting, deep, and sultry voice.

"Let the poor thing go," it said softly, soothingly. A handsome young man with electric blue eyes, dark hair, and a dark complexion stepped out from the shadows, pausing to place a well-sculpted hand against the rough leather of the meaty giant strangling the goblin. The giant's grip loosened as he turned to glare at the young man, and the goblin slipped to the floor, quivering. Apologies spilled from his thin lips as he scurried away, out the door and into the maze's darkness.

He skittered away like a cockroach, rubbing his neck and thanking every one of the numerous gods he could remember. He didn't have long to savor the good feeling of freedom, however, because he soon came into collision with a well-toned lady-leg. The owner glared down at him with feral purple eyes, and he cowered once more. She brushed her long, midnight hair away from her shoulder before she advanced closer to him, then past him, movements as liquid and predatory as a cat's. She pushed him aside with her foot and passed him by.

"You're underfoot, creature," she said, her voice arrogant, haughty, and cold. It was as smooth as the steel of a well-tempered blade and just as cutting. She strolled past him to open a door that he hadn't noticed before. Chaotic noise erupted from the hall behind the door before an eerie hush fell upon it.

The goblin only stayed long enough to hear the woman's cold voice criticize the room's inhabitants, some of which he hadn't noticed but had been painfully aware of, before scampering away into the depths of the castle-maze. His palms were sweating and his head pounded from fear and pain, but he was obedient and dutiful just the same.

For the first time in his life, he wished he had died with the Sorceress.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> _[Enter OUTSIDERS]_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This story is incredibly OC heavy. Due to the Monster-of-the-Day formula in the original book series, as well as the emphasis on friendship, diversity is important. New characters will appear frequently enough, especially in these first few chapters.

Adriane's head fell into her bag with a  _thump_. Her long, dark hair covered her face like a curtain and she groaned. If Emily didn't know better, she would have thought she heard Adriane snoring. It was Biology class, the period just after lunch for the two mages, and Adriane was about ready to fall over and die. She was  _exhausted_.

High school was a killer. It really was. The fact that the mages had to be the Magic Web's personal police force every other day certainly didn't help their case. Adriane, being a warrior and the one who had to confront the physical threat every time, was always exhausted. All her energy was used either on homework or on fighting, and it left her with very little energy for anything else. Emily and Kara, for their parts, had become very good diplomats. They would have had to, as the Web was in absolute chaos since the defeat of the Dark Sorceress and the shift of the Magic Web.

The week the mages were gone was a week too long. The Web knew all about them by then, and there was talk of them all over. They were heroes, some said, for saving the home of magic. But there were many, of course, who argued otherwise. Portals that were once quite organized were now aligned with other places. Locations were scattered, since all the other places and planes on the Web had to realign themselves with Ravenswood and, by association, Earth. Creatures that had once refused to make themselves known were now coming out of hiding, and creatures that had pledged themselves to the Dark Side still insisted on wreaking havoc. In short, the entire Web was completely flooie.

Of course, in this fine time of confusion, the magic black market was booming. Things like magical artifacts were stolen, treasure hunters and raiders were everywhere, and bounty hunters and assassins thrived. Logan, for all of his schemes, tricks, and love of business, had mysteriously disappeared from the scene entirely, for better or worse. To Adriane, he was just one more pest gone.

Being as that was, it meant the mages were constantly caught between two worlds. The preserve, with its new landmark status, meant that it was now a popular tourist attraction, and it required a lot of attention. The magical animals would come in and out of the portal at will, and the new arrivals were constantly causing trouble. It meant even more hard work than before, and that was saying something.

And so Adriane Charday – warrior mage, heroine, mysterious, emotional tall girl, and rocker chick – was left just  _wanting a nap, for Pete's sake!_  Emily sat down beside her friend and patted her comfortingly on the back.

" _Why_ did I think it was a good idea to take Biology Honors?" Adriane moaned into her backpack's front pocket. "There's so much  _homework_ …"

"I'm sure Mr. Peterson won't give us work this weekend. He usually lets us off when we have tests."

"…There was a test today?" Adriane looked up to see Emily nod and give her a sympathetic look. The warrior sighed and let her head fall again. The bell rang and Adriane forced herself to sit upright. Emily leaned back over to her side of the table and waited for the teacher to come in.

Mr. Peterson was a man who looked like his name. He was average, with an average face and height and weight. He was in his late thirties, and although his passion for the subject shone through frequently, his difficult curriculum often turned students away. He tried a little too hard sometimes, but the students loved him for it anyway.

On this day, around a month into the school year, he was trying to see if he could take roll without calling out names. He was already having some difficulties when two students walked into the room.

These two people were new. Anyone in the room could have told you that. Adriane could tell they were new, not because she had never seen them before, but because she had _definitely_  seen those clothes before. They looked like natives of Aldenmor, or some other equally old-fashioned and far off place on the Web.

The shorter of the two looked out into the crowd of the class before addressing the teacher. Her near black eyes shifted from person to person, seeming to analyze each one. Her eyes lingered on Adriane, and her brow seemed to quirk in surprise.

"I apologize for our tardiness," she said in a quiet, straight tone, her eyes leaving Adriane's as soon as Adriane caught her staring. Her slight form lingered close to her much taller companion's, as if she expected to be ambushed by the lethargic Biology class that surrounded them. Seriousness and caution were etched clearly on her round, youthful face, and her stiffness caused her companion to chuckle. The petite girl adjusted her glasses in irritation, almond-shaped eyes narrowing.

"We're new, and we got lost," the tall one explained in a voice that was deep and smooth as she patted her shorter companion on the head. "We'll try to make sure it doesn't happen again."

"That's fine, that's fine," Mr. Peterson replied with a dismissive wave of his hand. "What did you say your names were again?"

"We didn't," said the tall one, and the shorter one elbowed her in the side and gave her a look. The tall one stuck her tongue out at her shorter companion before responding. "I'm Lavan." She pointed down exaggeratedly at her companion, much to the other girl's great annoyance. "Shorty here is Mica."

"Well, Lavan and Mica, I suppose you two can sit back there near Emily and…Aaron?"

"Adriane!" Adriane yelled irritably.

"Adriane, right. I knew that. You two can sit there." Lavan stuck a hand in her pocket, draping the other arm around Mica's short form and steered them over to their appointed seats. As she sat down, Emily could have sworn she saw something off about Lavan's aura and presence, but the second Mica sat down the feeling was gone, and Emily wondered if her own fatigue was taking hold as well.

Mica stared past Emily to Adriane, who glared back with paranoid annoyance. Adriane quirked a brow at the other girl, and Mica looked away as class began.

 _That Mica kid was staring at me,_  Adriane said. She peered past her bangs to tiredly take notes.

 _I think that you might just be paranoid. I mean, I thought I felt something weird too, but…_  Emily cut herself off as she realized Lavan was staring at  _her_. The tall girl smirked, her blue-gray eyes glinting, and looked away. She leaned back in her seat and drummed her fingers against the table. If her partner was comically short, Lavan was awkwardly tall, her legs being too long for the desk she sat in. Her eyes spoke of some great amusement that Emily had a hard time placing, and there was something distinctively animalistic about the way her lips curled. It would have put her on edge if it didn't make her stomach churn first.

 _No, no, they were definitely staring at us,_ Emily decided.

_I've seen clothes like that on Aldenmor. And Mica's ears are pointed! Should we investigate?_

_We should let Kara know first, just in case._

Of course, the distance between them and Kara was too great for them to just telepathically talk to her, so they had to wait until the end of class to actually contact her. The three passed each other in the halls, Emily and Kara in the halls near the lockers and Adriane and Kara near the cafeteria.

 _There are two new magical potential-threats hanging around the school,_  Adriane reported.

_I know! The short one was like, totally staring at me during Geography this morning._

_Geography sucks._

_Yes, it does. Anyway, what do you think's up with them anyway?_

_Dunno. I don't think that they're warlocks…_

_What? Door locks? You're cutting in and out. I'll have to call you back later. Bye, Xena._

_Later, Barbie._

Walking into her Geometry class, she noticed Lavan looking out the window near the back of the room. Mica was reading beside her. Occasionally, they would exchange a glance, or Mica would grin as she read, but her face would always return to the default expression of vague guardedness. When Lavan glanced up at Adriane, the warrior was immediately put on edge. There was an odd predatory glint in her eye that made her seem like she fully intended to eat her alive.

_Hey there, warrior. I find your paranoia adorable, but I would appreciate it if you would stop glaring at Mica like that. Oh, and you can stop looking at me like I'm going to eat you. I don't bite._

Adriane started and scowled.

 _Much._ Lavan smiled like she was going to laugh. She ran a hand through her short, unruly dark hair. It was messily tied back near the base of her skull, as if she hadn't really tried at all. She stretched and yawned, giving Adriane a sidelong glance.  _You look so surprised! We're just mages like you, you know._  She pointed to a word on Mica's page and appeared to say something crass, as Mica promptly turned to her and flicked her on the forehead.

Adriane took her seat in the most nonchalant way possible, sitting on the opposite end of the room. She tossed an equally nonchalant glare to the other side of the room. Heather asked her what the answer to the last question on the homework was. As Adriane attempted to explain it, she spoke to Lavan.

 _How do I know I can trust you with anything? You could be dark mages or something. Where are you bondeds? Stones? Where did you even come from?_ Adriane set down her pencil and Heather thanked her. Lavan grinned broadly, looking back at her shorter companion. She played with a dark colored shard hanging at the end of a leather cord.

 _Oh, they're around…_  Lavan took to playing with Mica's long near-black ponytail, which hung from the base of her neck. A lazy smile stretched itself across her face.

Mica closed her book, looking both flushed and slightly annoyed.

 _Lavan, I thought I told you it would not be wise to reveal ourselves here._  The girl's this time voice was soft, bordering on soothing. It was very different from her speaking voice.  Adriane quirked an eyebrow and almost looked up in surprise.

_But she keeps glaring at you! And you and I both know that nothing good can come of her suspecting us all day._

_Even so, you can stand to be a bit more tactful. Teasing people at first contact is not the best way to earn trust._  Mica picked up a leather-bound notebook near her and went to go speak to the teacher at the front of the room. As she pointed to something on the page, she briefly glanced at Adriane.  _I apologize on her behalf._  As she sat down, she turned to Lavan and said, "You got the formula wrong again. It goes like this…" Lavan scratched her head embarrassedly.

 _We have to ask you mages something important. Is there any place we can meet you?_  Mica pointed at a few numbers as Lavan nodded. The two of them cast a glance at Adriane.

 _I don't trust you_ , Adriane replied with narrowed eyes. She saw Lavan shrug from across the room. Mica looked at Adriane as the Geometry teacher walked to the front of the class and the late bell rang.

 _We'll find you regardless,_  Lavan's voice teasingly. _There's only one portal in this general area, after all._  Class started, and Adriane couldn't concentrate on the mages across the room, what with the evil of Geometry happening.

She was still way too tired for this.

The second the bell rang, Adriane rushed out to find Emily and Kara. She found them both in the front of the school, talking to Joey, Heather, and Molly.

"We need to go to the preserve," she said, grabbing Kara and Emily by the wrists and dragging them away. Kara waved to Molly and Heather.

"We can talk later, okay girls! Landmark status means a lot of work!" she cried hurriedly. Adriane whipped her friends around before breaking into a jog. Kara turned to Adriane with an annoyed scowl as she caught up with her friend's strong gait. " _Rude_ , Xena!" she exclaimed, lightly punching her in the arm. "I didn't even get to give a real  _excuse!_ "

"Can it, Barbie, those new students are mages and they're headed for Ravenswood!" Emily jogged beside Adriane and tossed her a worried look.

"What do they want?" she asked as they turned onto the road leading to the preserve. "Do you think they're dark?"

"Don’t know, don’t care. They told me they needed to ask us something." Adriane opened the gate and slipped in before calling to Dreamer. "They're suspicious." Kara rolled her eyes.

"Everyone's suspicious to you these days, Adriane."

"For good reason!" she cried. Dreamer galloped out, taking a running jump at Adriane.  _There are other mages in the portal field!_  He said. He and Adriane galloped away, Emily and Kara behind them. Ozzie ran out from the manor as they passed it.

"Gah! What's going on!?" he cried as he climbed into Emily's arms. "Tweek almost exploded! Twice!" Tweek swooped in Ariel, waving his stick arms excitedly.

"Oh me twig! No one has seen these mages since…before the dragons went into hiding!" Ariel landed on Kara's shoulder, Tweek falling on her head.

"They're  _that old_!?" Kara cried as she and Emily caught up with Adriane. Lyra swooped down to Kara's side and padded next to her, nudging her reassuringly.

"Well, no, but those  _kind_ of mages. We thought they were extinct, like the warlocks!"

Kara ran into the clearing, just behind Adriane and Emily. The two girls from school stood before the Dreamcatcher, Mica holding a brimbee in her arms. Lavan smirked at Tweek as Ronif ran between her legs.

"Well, I assure you, we are not," she said. Mica let the brimbee down and turned towards the mages and their bondeds as Lavan took a few wide steps to stand beside her. On Mica's right arm was a gauntlet that covered from her elbow to the tips of her fingers. A jade stone flashed from its place mounted on the gauntlet, in the in the center of the back of her hand. Lavan, her hands in her pockets, had something similar on her left arm, with a blue stone mounted instead.

"This brimbee got caught up in an old trap nearby…" Mica said quietly. "I healed it, but I apologize if I overstepped any boundaries."

The brimbee ran up to stand behind Adriane and Dreamer. Emily and Kara stepped forward cautiously, Lyra moving in synch with Kara. Ozzie stood proudly by Emily's side while Adriane and Dreamer hung back, tense and ready to pounce if needed.

"We introduced ourselves to the warrior," Lavan said, "but not to you two." She looked at the other animals. "Or you lot, either." Mica cleared her throat and adjusted her glasses.

"My name is Mica, a healer, and this is my bonded, Lavan. We come as ambassadors for the Magic Weaver Academy and the realms sealed with it." Mica pulled out a stone similar to the stone that Crumble had when he had shown the mages a warlock map.

From the stone sprang a map of a certain part of the Web. A huge strange looking building that looked more natural than not was shown mounted at the top of an enormous tree, with several large temples surrounding the forest that grew around it. More buildings could be seen around those on separate trees. "We come requesting that the heroes of the Web help us with a millennia old task."

"And what would that be?" Kara asked, as if she had to. She quite enjoyed being a "hero of the Web". Lavan stepped forward, taking the stone.

"You ever heard of Pandora's Box?" she asked.  The map switched to show an image of several blurry shadow monsters lunging in attack. A young woman looked horrified in the background.

"Greed, Lust, Envy…" Mica named, pointing to the various dark forms. Lavan turned her attention to the mages.

"We ask that you help us defeat and capture the Seven Corrupted Fairimentals."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: The mages are shown a whole new side of the universe.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wow, late af isn’t it?  
> We’re getting there. Plot shall arrive soon. I hope.

“Wait, wait wait.  Stop,” Kara said, putting her hands up. “Rewind!  _What_?”

“You know, Seven Deadly Sins?” Lavan said, waving her gauntlet-covered hand around in the air.  “Ancient Earth myth, I believe?  Pretty prominent in your Earth literature, if I’m not mistaken?”

“No, not that!”  Kara shook her head.  “I mean, it’s not unbelievable, but—”

“Look, we’ve already got a lot on our plates,” Adriane interjected.  She counted off on her fingers.  “We don’t know you, we don’t know where you came from, and as you can _clearly see_ ,” she waved her hand around the clearing, which was overflowing with magical animals without hiding places, “you’re not the only ones at our door asking for help here!”

“We’d love to help,” Emily began, “but we have our hands full as it is.”

Lavan quirked an eyebrow as she scanned the clearing.  “I’ll say,” she muttered.  “Why are all these animals stuck here?  The preserve is huge…”

The mages glanced at each other awkwardly.

“Earth hasn’t been the most…magic-friendly place in a while,” Emily confessed.

“We need to hide them from the rest of Earth,” Adriane added.

“You…what?” Mica said, head snapping to the mages.  “The home of magic migrated _here_!  How do you expect to _hide_ the home of all magic when it is literally right here?”

“It’s for their own safety!” Adriane snapped.  “It’s like Emily said: Earth isn’t exactly magic friendly. Yet.”

“Well, it better adapt quickly, or this place is going to get ripped apart.”  Lavan turned her attention to the projection once more.

“Listen, you don’t know what you’re dealing with here,” she said, almost flippantly.  “‘Heroes of the Web’ or no, the Corrupted Seven are more powerful than anything you’ve ever faced.”  She turned back to the mages, eyes dark despite her tone.

“Trust me when I say that your Sorceress was _dust_ in comparison to them.”

The mages shuddered.  Dark magic and loss.  Emily hugged herself as she felt something terrible stir inside of her.  Kara stepped to her side, and Ozzie gripped her sleeve.

“Hey,” he said.  “I’m right here.”

“We all are,” Adriane added. She glared at the two foreign mages, a familiar anger snaking into her veins like cold fire.

Lavan ran her hand through her hair.

“I don’t know how to break it to you nicely since I don’t have Mica’s ‘tact’, but here it is.”  She squared her shoulders, and then it was clear then that she stood taller than even Adriane. 

“We came here to protect _you_.  Not the other way around.  And you can take our offer or we can enforce it without your say.” 

Mica stepped in hurriedly.

“Do not be misled!” she rushed. “Your work to protect your part of the Web has been…”  She paused, searching.  “It has been…unprecedented.  It is the best I have heard about in perhaps a millennia.  But the magnitude of what is coming for you now…” She sighed. 

“It is far greater.”

  1.   A stream of tension drove the animals back into the brush. Lavan’s once playful eyes danced with something predatory, and Adriane felt the urge to jump at her. Dreamer growled softly beside her.



_Stay calm,_ came Emily’s soothing voice.

“You do not trust us, and we can understand,” Mica said carefully, breaking the silence.  She took a breath; steadied herself. Lavan stood close behind. “We—the Weavers and Guardians—have been fighting a war for a long time.  We understand intimately how it is to be unable to trust outsiders.” She stepped forward, Lavan following close behind her.

“However, it is not simply ourselves that we must protect, but an entire universe.”  She stopped only a few feet before the mages.  Adriane stood defensively at the front of her pack. Mica stared past her into Emily’s eyes.  Emily shrank by the slightest of margins before straightening and facing Mica with determination.

“We can no longer afford this fear,” Mica continued.  “Your Weaver… _healer_ is untrained, and you are vulnerable.  We hail from a magic academy that can aid you in training.  You can learn to fully utilize your abilities and,” she paused, looking between Adriane and Emily, “you can learn to control your demons.”

_Demons,_ Emily thought with a shudder.  Ozzie patted her arm comfortingly.

“You read our auras?” she said instead.

“I know the prophecy,” Mica replied. “Weavers do not function on such easily unfulfilled predictions, but…we are well versed in the legends of your part of the Web.”  She paused. “But yes, I did read them in your ‘Biology Honors’ class before.”

“We have teachers at our school well versed in the art of control,” Lavan said.  “Something I understand you lot have… _issues_ with.”

Mica sighed next to her.

“Yeah, okay, so what’s the point?” Adriane demanded.

Mica looked at Lavan for a moment. Lavan knelt into the grass, Mica following suit.  They bowed their heads.

“While we came here asking for your help, we make the statement now: The Weaver Academy of Auranadin pledges solemnly to protect you and serve you as we can.”

“It was supposed to be our _chief_ that was supposed to tell you,  
 Lavan muttered.

“—But in the headmaster’s absence, we will deliver our pledge to you personally.”

There was a long pause.

“Please, uh,” Adriane said weakly, “please stop bowing.  I think I…I get it.”

“I don’t know, I think it’s nice to have some recognition,” Ozzie commented.

_They don’t smell like bad magic,_ Dreamer said.

_And they were not unkind to the animals before you came to find us,_ Lyra added.

“But we still don’t know anything about you,” Emily said.

“And that’s going to be an issue,” Kara commented.  “Especially if we have to work you guys into the system on top of everyone else!” Mica began to stand up, Lavan springing to help her. 

“If it would so aid this alliance,” Mica started, “we could demonstrate our magic for you right here.”

Adriane looked to Emily, then Kara. Tweek hopped about excitedly, clutching his HORARFF in excitement.

“Unbelievable!  Weaver magic up close after eons of theorized extinction!”

Kara shrugged and Emily nodded. Adriane sighed, but felt a familiar eagerness to see new magic.  “Go on, then,” she said as nonchalantly as possible.  “But if you give me _one reason_ to suspect you, I’m lashing you.”  Mica nodded seriously, then turned to Lavan and held out her bare hand.

“So like,” Lavan began excitedly, “you want me to do the thing?  Or the _other_ thing?”

“Just do what you usually do. We are not aiming to be conspicuous.”

“Aw, but babe—”

“Lavan, _please_ ,” Mica said, face coloring, “just hold my hand and…do the thing, as you say.”  Lavan grinned.

“Yeah, okay.”

They joined hands and the two raised their hands to the air in front of them.  Light gathered at their gauntleted fingertips, and the inscriptions etched into the metal began to glow. 

The gauntlets came apart like leaves falling from trees, falling apart character by character and forming a circle before Mica’s outstretched fingertips.  Mica’s jade stone, perfectly round and smooth, hovered before her now bare hand.  Glowing meridians that Emily recognized as the strands that she had once weaved herself revealed themselves within the circle, and Mica began to pick at the strings.

A gentle melody composed of silver notes and a steady heartbeat played through the field, and Adriane almost dropped her guard completely.

Lavan’s form wavered and shifted, like a far-away figure blurred by heat rising from scorched concrete. Colors blurred to white, then gray and blue as Mica’s fingers plucked away at the strands of magic. A dissonant chord was struck. Mica winced as the light flared red and violent purple beneath her fingers.

“My, but this is an incredible knot,” she muttered.

_But of course,_ Lavan’s voice laughed. _It was forged by untrained and talented hands alike, no?_

“But I can handle it,” Mica reassured no one in particular, and her hand gripped the light.

She played the meridians of magic like a harp of light, and Emily felt a shift in the preserve’s magic.

“She’s weaving the Web,” Emily breathed, closing her eyes to watch the auras shift.

“Is that bad?” Adriane asked.

“I can’t…” Emily concentrated, watching Mica pick through the Ravenswood tapestry.  “I don’t think so.  It looks like she’s just…extending it to something else…”

Mica laughed suddenly. “Aha!” she cried and pushed forward, releasing a stream of pale green light outward.  The song ended with a sudden clap, and a gust of wind burst forth as a portal opened beside the Dreamcatcher.  It stood at a fixed width, lined by the metallic characters that once formed the gauntlets.

In a sharp snap of light, Lavan returned to herself and stretched beside Mica.

“And there we have it kids,” she yawned. “Weaver magic at its finest. Learn all about it at our school for the low, low price of free!”  Emily shook her head in disbelief.

“I can’t believe it!” she cried. “You pulled that off with such…ease!  You had a _conversation_ while you were weaving!”

“Oh me twig!” Tweek exclaimed as he approached the newly opened portal.  “This portal’s path is completely unheard of!”

“Rockin’,” Adriane breathed.

“Magical!” Kara squealed.

“No _duh_.”

“I have been training for years,” Mica replied modestly. “And I have Lavan.  It comes easier that way.”  She gestured to the portal.  “Please come see.  It is safe, do not fear.”

Emily stepped up behind Tweek, followed by Adriane and Kara.

“Usually portals take huge amounts of magic…” she turned to Lavan.  “What _are_ you?”

Lavan shrugged.  “Come with us to the Academy, and you’ll find out. I’m not even the best specimen to study, really.”

Dreamer bounded ahead, sniffing at the edges.

_New magic!_ he called excitedly.

Emily walked up to the edge and peered through.  Adriane and Kara peeked over her shoulders.

“I’ve never seen… _any_ of those places before,” Emily said.

“None from your part of the Web have in a long, long time,” Mica replied.  “Eons ago, the Web was divided to separate the Corruption from the last remaining uncorrupted spring of magic.  Yours, Avalon.”

“And now you’re reopening the barriers?”

“We must.  To protect the Ravenswood home…” Mica sighed. “That is our current mission.” She stepped away, looking sheepish. “I would try to explain, but…”

“It’s our _chief’s_ duty to explain our mission,” Lavan said hotly.  “This portal’s only temporary anyway. The barrier’s too strong to stay open for long.  Someone needs to open the portal every time we have to make a trip.”  She turned to Adriane.  “Warrior, you can Worldwalk?”

“Yeah,” Adriane replied.

“Then you’re going to help transport your lot to the Academy.”

“If we have convinced you!” Mica added, elbowing Lavan.

“You have!” Kara chimed. She glanced at Adriane. “I mean, _clearly_ we could stand to learn _that_ , right?!  It’s totally cool!”

“We’re _going_ to get the _facts_ ,” Adriane stated pointedly.  “Besides, weaving is a healer thing.”

“Ah, but Guardianship, a warrior course, and Limitation, a blazing star course, are _also_ available at the grand old school of Auranadin!” Lavan chimed.  “Also for the low, _low_ price of free!”

“We have to go!” Tweek exclaimed. “Actual Weaver mage magic! And an entire school of it! Imagine the data! The learning!” He Tweek rattled with zeal.

“If Tweek’s this eager, there can’t be much harm,” Emily said hopefully.  “And truth be told, I _want_ to learn more about this magic weaving stuff.”

“From what I have witnessed, you are actually quite powerful,” Mica said thoughtfully, finger cradling her chin. “It is unsurprising that Ravenswood is the home of magic now.  Her guardians are adept.”

“Then we go,” Adriane said. Dreamer padded up to her side. “While we’re gone, Balthazar’s in charge!”  She stepped up to the portal and nodded to the other mages.

Mica held up her hand again, and the gauntlet reformed on her hand.  Lavan did the same.

“Follow our lead, yeah? Try to keep up.” Lavan said. She bent down and swept Mica up in her arms, then turned and hopped through the portal.

“Well,” Kara started. “Here we go again! Mage heroes on another whirlwind adventure!”  She braced herself with a grin, Lyra close by her side.

“One jumps,” Emily began nervously.

“—we all jump!” Adriane finished.

The three clasped hands as Adriane lead them through the portal, magical light forming a protective bubble around the group.

In a flash, the mages were gone.

They raced past worlds that glowed like stars and lands that floated through the void, dead as rock. Magical signatures of galaxies unknown surrounded the group as they whizzed through a strange new starpath.

“I wonder what happened out here,” Adriane spoke.  “Look at all these portals…”

_Auranadin is at the center of the next nexus,_ Mica elaborated. _Stay close.  Your magic signature is new, and we must authorize your passing._

“That blue light up ahead,” Adriane pointed.  “Kara, I’d appreciate a little boost.  I’m running on empty.”

“No problem,” Kara said, lending a small shock of power.

“This is surreal,” Emily said. “I mean, at this point, I guess it shouldn’t be, but I can’t believe that there’s an entire half of the Web that we don’t have mapped out at all.”

“Could be more,” Kara commented. “I mean, all they said is ‘our part’!  We could be tiny fish in a big ocean here!”

“Always something new to discover,” Adriane added.  “Can’t wait to meet the deep sea creeps out here.”

The bubble lurched forward as Kara gave another extra push, and Adriane honed in on the trail of light left ahead. Lavan, for her part, seemed to completely disregard the mages until she stopped just before the portal. A glowing blue barrier surrounded the portal’s entrance.  It emitted a light humming.

_Here we are.  Auranadin is protected by a barrier, so just let me set you up here…_

Lavan seemed to set Mica down gently before bringing a rounded, potato-shaped instrument to her lips and playing a quick few notes.  She handed it to Mica before clapping her hands together.  She brought them out again, splitting open a small path for the mages to slip through.  She turned and nodded to Adriane before zipping through the portal herself. Adriane rubbed her hands together, body tensing as she concentrated on controlling the bubble’s landing path.

“All right, unknown territory. You all know the drill: partner up, stay grounded, and if something bothers you, scream for me so I can punch it.”

Emily and Kara saluted teasingly, and Adriane sighed as she made the last push through the barrier.

They stood on the floor of some great forest, the sound of waves breaking on the shore echoing from behind them. Trees taller than cliffs towered above them, their bases wider than houses.  If Adriane squinted, she could see humanoid figures walking along the thick, leaf-covered boughs and lichen.  Apartments and homes like burrows lined the trunk and branches, and even from the ground below, she could hear excited chatter buzzing overhead.

A winged figure, half-avian and half-humanoid, swept into one of the branches before morphing rapidly into a more human form.  Emily cried out in surprise as a lupine creature raced between her and Adriane, almost knocking them over.  It leapt up the steep trunk, jumping away from the trunk midway and twisted in the air. In a flash of light, it shifted into the shape of a sharp-beaked bird and flew the rest of the way up.

“Shape-shifters?” Adriane asked.

“Only the best,” Lavan replied, stepping up to her.  “They’re the natives here.” 

Mica came to her side and held her hand. Lavan smiled proudly at the mages before gesturing to the towering trees and the tumbling sea behind them. A low, rumbling call rang from above them, and the crowd sang a chord in response, a magical beat building in the air around them.

“Welcome to Auranadin, the home of Weaver magic.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next time: The plot arrives.


End file.
